Another Big Vacation - Part 3

"If happy little bluebirds fly beyond the rainbow, 

why oh why can't I?"

— E.Y. Harburg 

The next morning we woke to the twists and turns of the massive ship winding its way past the reef and through a narrow channel cut into the shallow waters of the Belize coast.  The water glistened a light turquoise and the horizon was dotted with submerged islands of Mangrove trees, fishing boats, and other cruise ships making port.

We were happy to see one cruise ship in our anchorage, as planned, the Carnival, Magic.  It carried our friends from Corpus Christi, TX to join us in our Belize Adventure.  We had scheduled cave tubing and zip-lining in the Belize jungle through cavetubing.bz, and were extremely excited to start this adventure.

The shallow waters prevent docking, so all ships have to tender in their passengers.  The large tender boat piled us in as a tropical downpour reminded us why everything is so green in the tropics.

Once in Tourism Village (Couldn't they be a bit more creative with the name?), we scrambled for a few ponchos for the less insulated of our group and found our shuttle bus.  The shuttle was supposed to be reserved for us, but oddly some lost people jumped in, not knowing where they were supposed to be and the owner of the business, not wanting to pass up a sale, sold them their seats. It was no problem since they were a great couple.  In no time our friends Corey, Vanessa, Melissa and Trey had joined us and we were informed of the bad news:  the river was at flood stage and our float was canceled, but zip-lining was still available.  Saddened that our top adventure was canceled, we decided to enjoy ourselves nonetheless; besides, with friends like this, how could we not have fun?

An hour inland, our surroundings went from coastal savannah to lush jungle.  The rain had stopped, but since we all wore mostly our swimsuits, it wasn't a concern.  As we waited under the thatched prep area to be equipped, they calmed our nerves by introducing us to a tarantula... (Link if your browser has trouble, best if viewed on YouTube)

We all were strapped into harnesses, put on musty helmets, and handed soggy gloves from the last group.

  Last to be equipped was little Zoey.  I looked around for the child's harness and found none.  I asked, and they said it's one size fits all, as they pulled the straps tight and tied the excess in knots around her. 

Super excited and bit nervous (especially the littlest among us and me, her mom), we began to climb the hillside, ready to fly through the treetops.

 We all loved the exhilaration of zipping along the sturdy wires as the beautiful tropical jungle whizzed past us.

Zoey did amazing.  She refused to ride with anyone and each ride ended in a tear trickling down her cheek, but with determination to go on.  As she slid along line 5 of 7, she failed to have the weight and momentum to reach the next platform and was sent sliding back towards the center.  My little girl had to be rescued.  A little shaken, she decided to call it a day and wait for us at the bottom.  I was so proud of her.

Lunch was Belezian-spiced chicken, rice and beans in coconut milk, and coleslaw.  It was all delicious. During the ride back we were topped off with rum punch and the driver even made a special stop for us at the liquor store for some hard to find One Barrel Rum (super good and cheap).

Back a Tourism Village we shopped for some souvenirs and settled into the seaside bar for ceviche, drinks, and to leave our mark on Belize.  We were all sad to have missed the cave tubing, but happy to be with each other and have shared the adventure we did. Here's my super cool video documenting the whole experience: (Link if not viewable on your browser; best viewed on YouTube)
 

   

Having planned the first two stops, we left the last one open.  We planned to meet our friends again, and wondered what could Cozumel bring?

(to be continued)

Another Big Vacation - Part 2

 “We live in a wonderful world that is full of beauty, charm and adventure. There is no end to the adventures we can have if only we seek them with our eyes open.” 

 ― Jawaharlal Nehru

Having thoroughly enjoyed our previous experience in Honduras at Upachaya, we knew we wanted to go back with the whole crew on this trip.  Our reservation was made easily online and we prepared to visit the Mesoamerican Reef once again.

Carnival cruise line had crated a "tourist town", Mahogany Bay, for their Roatán experience.   Whereas Royal Caribbean ports in Coxen Hole, (named after the 17th century pirate John Coxen) the largest city in Roatán at a population of five thousand.

The two locations couldn't be more different.  Mahogany Bay is a mini resort paved, cleaned, painted and polished to appeal to the modern tourist and their ideas of vacationing in pristine cleanliness with first-world luxuries.  The beach at Mahogany Bay is made of imported sand and lined with chairs, umbrellas, and the sounds and smells of an ideal Caribbean vacation.

Coxen Hole has the usual port of entry tourist shops packed into a mini-mall type of introductory experience; 

Overlooking the island from the tourist area.  (John filming in the background)

Playing it up in the tourist shops.

...but once you set foot outside of the well guarded gates, you enter a true Central American experience.

Directly overhead, in the middle of town.

We exited onto bustling streets lined with sweaty, pushy salesmen attempting to direct you to their small storefronts.  The streets were uneven, cracked and unmarked.  Tangled power and cable lines  crisscross overhead and tropical trees and hibiscus flowers line the dingy streets.  Cars zoomed by in various degrees of disrepair, zigzagging along sometimes three vehicles wide on the narrow streets as pedestrians bravely claimed their share of the already overfilled road.  We saw one car with a large hole the size of a watermelon in the windshield filled with spray-foam insulation.  Third-world repairs are the best!!

We wandered down the street towards the nearest shops as children excitedly struck up conversations and walked along with us.  We often stepped over half-dead dogs who had flopped themselves awkwardly across the narrow broken sidewalks trying to sleep away the damp heat as tall slender chickens (which survive better in the tropics) darted under trees in nearby yards.  We found a few treasures in the modest little shops and found some empty chairs in a little ocean-side bar with a little dock for us to walk out over the water as we shared a few icy Monkey La-Las.

Still awaiting our tour, we wandered into what had affectionately been called the "local's beach", a slender stretch of rocky sand nearby the port.   We found ourselves on a small rickety dock enjoying the views of the ocean as Zoey tossed rocks in the ocean with the local children.

Our driver was prompt as usual and we, along with another family of 3, set out for Upachaya in Mud Hole (Maybe after a pirate named Mud?).  Before we knew it we were out on the water and swimming through the beauty that is the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef.

Zoey tried her best to join in, but the almost immediate introduction of salt water in her mask and eyes quickly revealed that she is not ready for this adventure.  When we were around the boat she did jump in to experience a small amount of snorkeling and got to hold a rather large star fish, but the rest of the time she played happily on the boat with Mario, one of the great guides.

We saw so many great sites, but instead of telling you, we used our new GoPro Hero 3+ video camera to document our adventure.  As it's our first attempt at videography and editing, it's a bit rough, but I hope you enjoy it. (If you can't select the video, or to see it with alt music click HERE.)

After the trip we were treated to a wonderful vegetarian snack lunch and the staff picked a fresh coconut for Zoey to eat and drink, which she loved.

When we arrived back in Coxen Hole, we dropped off our supplies at the ship and went back into town to finish our day.  As we walked we received an unofficial, unsolicited tour provided by one of the locals.  Bianca had her picture with him, which she loved......Okay, she wanted to shoot us.

After many musty hot shops, we settled back into the little ocean-side bar with a dock and enjoyed a drink of the local beer and played on the dock before departing.

As the ship pulled away from Roatán, Honduras, we all reflected on the authentic nature of our experience.  The grit, grime, sultry heat, blooming flowers, outgoing people, and rickety nature of the town only adds to the experience of visiting a far away place.  We all agreed it's a great place, worthy of visiting again.

The next day we would awaken in another country, ready for another experience; Belize City, Belize.

(to be continued)

Another Big Vacation - Part 1

"A vacation is having nothing to do and all day to do it in."

-Robert Orben

Walking on the beach in Galveston, TX.

I've slacked a bit on the blog because life has a way of getting busy, but here's what we've been up to!!

My sisters planned a big cruise for the same dates and destinations we had gone last year:  Roatán, Honduras, Belize City, Belize, and Cozumel, Mexico.  Of course I wouldn't pass up  a chance to spend time with my sister Chrissy, and my little girl needed to see her aunt also, so the three of us booked our tickets.  We were excited to revisit these great locations, spend time with family, and curious about a different cruise line, Royal Caribbean.

John, Karlie, Zoey and myself arrived in Galveston a day early after an overnight drive of 9 hours.  Karlie and Chrissy had found us an interesting hotel with a great location.  The place itself was a little run down and the staff lacked in the hospitality department, but we couldn't beat the views we were privileged to wake up to both mornings.           

Our morning exercise took us to the shoreline to outrun the wind as fog still enveloped the town.

 As we walked collecting treasures for Zoey, I braved a touch of a jellyfish and convinced my daughter and sister to do the same...because I am a great role-model.  It is very clear why the call it a jellyfish, because it feels just like thick jelly.

 Next we drove the length of Galveston and back towards Kemah, TX.  In Kemah we toured a few great live-aboard sailboats and decided it is not only a financially feasible option for us in the future, but that living in one is not much different that our current home, so the transition would be easy.

The day was chilly (go figure it was December) so having had a long night previously, we finished a bit early with dinner at Fish Tales.  Karlie and I were challenged to our first raw oysters, and we both accepted with grimaces. We both agree, they are...gulp....slimily okay.

Brandon, Chrissy, and Bianca arrived late that night via shuttle transport after we had tucked in for the night, so the next morning we had a great morning reunion.  Waiting for the time to depart, we walked the beach tossing jellyfish back in the ocean then shuttled the crew to the pier to load onto the ship.

Once aboard we started with the essential exploration of our rooms, self-guided tours, first meal, and jumped in the hot tub as the boat launched.

Days and nights aboard the boat we ate, sat in the hot tubs, swam in the salt-water pool, drank foo foo drinks, ate, danced, watched flying fish, played shuffle board and miniature golf,

Doing it right!!!

...drank foo foo drinks, napped, shopped, ate,

...watched an ice skating show, played dodge ball,

A team to be reckoned with...

 ...ate, drank foo foo drinks, rock climbed,

Sadly I didn't make it to the kiddie bell, I might be a bit scared of heights.

Karlie is a pro!!

...dressed up, took pictures,

...participated in ridiculous game shows, and last but not least enjoyed time with each other.  Did I mention on a cruise ship you eat a lot, and drink at least one foo foo drink a day?


You may be wondering, what was Zoey doing all this time?  Although she spent much of her time with us, immersed in our activities;

Enjoying our morning balcony view.

So happy to see Aunt Chrissy.

Our waiter made her a paper animal each night.

Loving her towel-monkey our cabin steward made.

...she also enjoyed the kid's daycare area.  She played with kids her own age, created art projects, had her face painted, read books and watched shows. The first night's dinner she curled up o the chair and slept through the main course.  After that, we had to enforce an-hour-nap a day to ensure she could enjoy the night shows and stay awake during dinner.

John and I had been able to experience the Carnival, Magic (which runs the same course at the same time) on our previous trip and were able to now compare it to the Royal Caribbean, Navigator of the Seas.   Both were great vacation ships, but when we went on Magic, it was less than a year old, and we were on Navigator's last sail before refit.  Comparing them based on that was a bit difficult.  The ship was a bit worn, and so was the staff, probably ready for a much needed vacation.  Although both ships had comparable amenities, the Navigator's buffet had shorter lines and Carnival's snack shops were more plentiful, flavorful, and diverse.  We preferred Carnival's dinner menu, much to our surprise after reading some other reviews.  One plus when in port was disembarkation via tender was much quicker on Navigator.  In the end they were both great ships and vacations, but we didn't really see a justification in price increase for Royal Caribbean over the cheaper Carnival, when comparing these two ships.  Note: Perhaps I would change my mind after a refit, but unlikely.

For us, the purpose and highlights of cruising are the destinations. Our three ports of call were as exciting as ever.  After three days at sea, our first port of call was Coxen Hole, on the isle of Roatán, Honduras.

 (to be continued)

Before School Started, We Departed

 "Guns have metamorphosed into cameras...Now nature tamed, endangered, mortal , needs to be protected from people."

-Susan Sontag

 

A family on the Riverwalk.

Summer was winding to a close and so much needed to be done to prepare for the fall.  It's a feeling I hadn't had for fourteen years, but the ritual carefree summers, school in the fall, and the countdown to spring begins; is once again a part of my life as my little one started her first year of school.

We decided to take one last trip to Seaworld to use those season passes before they expire and enjoy the last of summer.  Zoey was ecstatic, but I was nervous we would have to leave John behind once again.  Fortune smiled on us and last minute John finished the job, so we picked him up in Ozona, (a few hours south of here) and made our way to San Antonio once again, arriving late Friday night.

In the gardens at the Alamo.

Our hotel was right near the Alamo, which we hadn't visited previously, so I insisted we visit the
landmark on our way to breakfast.  The small mission/museum/battleground contains beautiful gardens, accounts of famous historical figures, and intriguing artifacts.  This provided an excellent brief history lesson for Zoey and a nice detour for the morning.

Driving into Seaworld in the summer was much different than it had been before. Steady streams of cars clogged the entrance and a flood of people poured forth and through the gates.  Strollers, large families, and mounds of backpacks and bags jammed up the checkpoints until we were allowed  into the park. 

The sun reflecting off the  dark pavement combined with 100°+ temperatures caused us to all feel overwhelmed by the heat almost immediately.  We ducked into indoor exhibits to find relief from the heat, but it was only temporary.  We decided to try a roller coaster and found that most of the visitors were either watching the aquatic shows or escaping to the water-park, leaving little to no lines for the roller coasters.  YAY!

One good-looking couple in downtown San Antonio.

Karlie, John and I traded off Zoey duty on the larger rides and thoroughly enjoyed the cool breezes and thrills of the coasters.  Zoey had recently gone through a growth spurt and now qualified for the 42" height restriction rides.  Approaching each new ride lead to lots of anxiety for her, even tears at times, but immediately after each ride she insisted on going again and again, which was fine due to the lack of lines.

Having already seen all the water-shows, we decided to brave the water-park.  The lines were massive and the  pools were crowded, but we enjoyed ourselves, not even noticing the heat the rest of the day.

On the Riverwalk.

Dinner in downtown San Antonio was an amazing churrascaria (Brazilian Barbeque) named Fogo De Chao, followed by a couples evening on the Riverwalk as Karlie took Zoey to bed.  I couldn't have asked for more.


We rose early the next morning to travel towards Natural Bridge Wildlife Ranch, a drive-thru safari, expecting the animals to be most active early in the morning.  I had seen these safaris on Travel Channel and the like, so once I found we had one here in Texas, I didn't want to miss out.

The nice lady at the gate took our money, handed us bags of undesirable looking pellet feed and told us to not feed the animals by hand, but to drop it on the ground...I don't think many people follow this rule, us included.  There were deer of every sort, a couple lazy rhinos (in enclosure), wildebeest, mountain sheep, buffalo, big horn cattle (bigger than the buffalo to our surprise) and the like.  The elk were super docile and patient, sticking their head into the car and accepting a single morsel of feed at a time.  

The ostriches on the other hand were anything but docile.  They showed no fear of cars or human contact,  They would spot the car and charge, then bravely stretch their neck through window into your space (if you were still in that space and not climbing over the seat) and quickly, almost violently snatching feed from our hands or wherever they could find it, sometimes trying to take a finger to two too...greedy birds.  These assertive birds even caused some cars to quickly roll up windows in fear of the overgrown chickens.

Entering the zebra area, signs warned that they do bite.  We observed the warning and began tossing feed to the roadside, when John realized, the zebras had devised a way to get hand fed despite the warning.  The result was a big toothey grin, allowing you to toss the feed pass their quivering lips into their gaping mouths. A hilarious sight.

The tour ended with a walk through monkey, parrot, kangaroo, giraffe and lemur exhibits.  The petting zoo was full of disinterested, overfed goats and one young deer. A nice gift shop displayed many souvenirs we neither needed, nor have the room for in our tiny home, so we settled with a coloring book for Zoey to remember her adventure.

The trip was a great end to a great summer, and the wildlife park is a definite must see if you are ever out that way, but be sure to get in early in the day to avoid tired animals and long lines, it was worth the effort.

(The video is a bit wiggly at first, but gets better...sorry :)

The Big Step

  “I don't remember who said this, 

but there really are places in the heart you don't even know exist until you love a child.” 

-Anne Lamott

Kindergarten; I have been just as anxious about Zoey's first day of school as she was.  She's been my life for the last six years (including pregnancy) and my partner all through moving down here.  For so long it's been me and her-always together.  I wasn't eager to see my little buddy traipse off to school day in and day out, and she wasn't eager to leave me, but I knew it had to happen, and before we knew it, the day was upon us.

She woke up excited and anxious the first day, unhappy that she was up before the sun, but ready to go.  John didn't have a job scheduled for the day, so he was able to join us for the big day.  We were there well before the bell and the first in the classroom. The walls were full of posters, ABC's, numbers and the like.  The tiny chairs chairs were arranged around knee height tables, perfect for my little girl.  We parted as soon as she was settled in her assigned seat and starting her breakfast, which is served each day in the classroom, so she would get used to the idea of us leaving.

Picking her up, she kept asking me if I saw this and that.  I soon realized she thought I was in the hallway watching her the entire day.  I informed her I wasn't there all day and she seemed shocked.  She lamented that school wasn't what she expected and didn't want to go again.

Day two, I dropped her off in her classroom and she sat there in her kid sized chair, purple bows in her hair and tears welling up in her eyes.  I wanted to grab her and hold her as I always do, but I parted quickly feeling once I was out of sight she would do better.

I picked her up and found she had refused breakfast; preferring to sit with her arms crossed and her head hung to pout (she even reenacted it for me).  Once again she was upset school wasn't as fun as expected and said she didn't want to go again.

Day three was especially difficult as the Raptor Program had started and parents were lined out the door trying to get registered to take their kids to the classroom.  At the entrance of the hallway moms and dads were trying to send their kids down the crowded corridors as many of them clung to their parents and cried.  I realized that if I tried to register, she wouldn't make it in time for breakfast, (they have to be 15 min early), so I too tried to get her to walk the 20 feet to her classroom.  She refused and as a teacher grabbed up the hands of the tearful red-faced kindergarteners who were too afraid to go alone, Zoey started to fight and cling to me.  I had to peel her off, and walk away, crying myself.  I noticed many other moms were also crying, so at least I wasn't the only one.After school I found she again refused breakfast, and again didn't want to go back to school. 

Day four I had registered after school, and arrived extra early to receive my pass.  Once in the classroom I thought we would be fine, but she decided to cling, scream and cry once again upon my parting.  I had to hand her to the teacher and dash out once again.

Determined to change her behavior, I devised a reward system of smiley faces in imitation of the teacher's reward system, and promised her a trip to Chuck-e-Cheese if she could improve her behavior.  Immediately the next day she allowed me to leave with tears in her eyes, but without a fight.  The days after that the tears began to wane, although she informed me she cried through a few lunches.

Week three is upon us and she is happy and eager to go to school.  No tears and no fighting.  She even wakes before her alarm and now tries to drag me out the door before it's time so she can be the first kid there.  She still insists mom walk her all the way to her classroom, which is fine with me because I know someday she'll not want me there.

She's learning so much already, made friends in her classroom, and told me she now loves school.  Mom is sad her little girl is growing so quickly, but is enjoying some peace and quiet and getting to some projects that had been too difficult to start with a little one on my heels.